Academy → Using HermesOfficial documentation · clear explanation

X (Twitter) Search

X (Twitter) Search

Developer11 minutes3 questions2026-08-09
The idea in one minute

Start with meaning, then move to detail.

This lesson explains X (Twitter) Search as part of Hermes internals and extension points. You will learn what it does, when it matters, and the smallest safe test that proves it works.

If you are new

If you are new, do not memorize names. Focus on three questions: what problem does this solve, what access does it need, and how can you verify the result?

For hands-on use

For practice, inspect the first example, identify its effects, run it on test data, and compare the result with the source claim.

For specialists

For advanced readers, inspect xsearch vs xurl, Authentication, Enabling the tool, then verify failure modes and version compatibility.

What do you need first?

Know Python, Git, and basic project structure before changing code.

What will you know?

A clear outcome before you read.

  • Understand X (Twitter) Search without assumed prior knowledge.
  • Separate the source description from what still needs testing in your environment.
  • Read the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.
Lesson terms

Short definitions before the details.

Provider
The service that runs or provides access and authentication to a model.
Tool
A structured action the agent can call to read or change something.
Official page description

Search X (Twitter) posts and threads from within the agent using xAI's built-in x_search Responses tool — works with either a SuperGrok OAuth login or an XAI_API_KEY.

Topic map

What does the source say, and in what order?

  1. 01
    xsearch vs xurl

    Start here to understand the core idea or structure.

  2. 02
    Authentication

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  3. 03
    Enabling the tool

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  4. 04
    Configuration

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  5. 05
    Tool parameters

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  6. 06
    Date validation

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  7. 07
    Example

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  8. 08
    Troubleshooting

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  9. 09
    "No xAI credentials available"

    Read this after the foundation, then connect it to the previous step.

  10. 10
    "xsearch is not enabled for this model"

    Finish here to verify the result and special cases.

Examples from the official page

Copy only after you understand the effect.

hermes tools # → 🐦 X (Twitter) Search (press space to toggle on)
# ~/.hermes/config.yaml x_search: # xAI model used for the Responses call. # grok-4.5 is the recommended default; any Grok model # with x_search tool access works. model: grok-4.5 # Optional reasoning effort: low, medium, high, or xhigh. When omitted, # the selected model's default applies. xhigh is supported only by # models that document it, such as grok-4.20-multi-agent. # reasoning_effort: low # Request timeout in seconds. x_search can take 60–120s for # complex queries — the default is generous. Minimum: 30. timeout_seconds: 180 # Number of automatic retries on
Try it now

Read the first command and identify its inputs and outputs before copying it.

Match every command to your installed Hermes version, review the files and accounts it can reach, and use non-sensitive data for the first test. If this explanation differs from the source, the official source wins.

Knowledge check

Three decisions before completion.

1. What is the source of truth when “X (Twitter) Search” changes?
2. What is the best way to apply this lesson?
3. What should happen before a step can modify files or an external account?